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Pitching Matchups and Preview:
Monday, 4/14/08: Ian Kennedy, RHP (0-1, 13.50) @ Andy Sonnanstine, RHP (1-1, 6.00)
Yankees: The 23-year-old Kennedy had a curveball thrown his way in his last appearance on April 9, informed about 20 minutes before first pitch that he wasn't starting due to weather concerns. The rains came but play never halted, leaving manager Joe Girardi to use Kennedy for the final three innings of a 4-0 loss at Kansas City. Kennedy has allowed eight earned runs in his first 5 1/3 innings of 2008 after allowing just 31 in 146 2/3 professional frames last season, including pitching 19 innings at the Major League level and recording a 1.89 ERA with New York. The Rays battered Kennedy for six runs on four hits in an abbreviated 2 1/3-inning start on April 4 at Yankee Stadium.
Rays: Coming off his first loss of the season, to Seattle on Wednesday, Sonnanstine will face the Yankees for the second time this season. The right-hander had a solid debut in New York on April 4, going six solid innings and scattering six hits and four runs. Sonnanstine gave up all four runs in the third inning, but settled down to retire the last 10 Yankees batters in order.

Tuesday, 4/15/08: Andy Pettitte, LHP (1-1, 3.09) @ Edwin Jackson, RHP (2-0, 0.64)
Yankees: Pettitte worked 6 2/3 strong innings on Friday at Kansas City, overcoming a 30-pitch first inning and a 22-minute rain delay in the fourth to help lift the Yankees to a 6-1 victory. Pettitte said he didn't have much in the early innings but hit his stride after the delay, showcasing his best stuff since lower back spasms derailed his Spring Training. Pettitte faced the Rays on April 5 in New York and took a loss, allowing five runs (three earned) in five innings.
Rays: Jackson is coming off a stellar two-hit performance vs. Seattle on April 10, in which the right-hander went eight strong innings, allowing two hits and striking out six. The last time he faced New York on April 5, Jackson beat Andy Pettitte 6-3 at Yankee Stadium, and retired the last nine batters he faced. Jackson allowed just one run off four hits in that game, striking out four.

Lineups:
YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Ensberg 1B
Cabrera CF
Moeller C
Gonzalez 2B
Kennedy RHP (0-1, 13.50)

RAYS
Iwamura 2B
Crawford LF
Pena 1B
Upton CF
Longoria 3B
Hinske DH
Riggans C
Haynes RF
Bartlett SS
Sonnanstine RHP (1-1, 6.00)

Notes:
Jeter is back. Betemit to the DL with pink eye. Chad Moeller up. Joba on bereavement leave. Albaladejo is back up. -Jitpal

Nice weather. 2nd pitch home run by Damon. Good start. -Jitpal

It's Andy Sonnanstine going for the Rays.

Jackson goes on Tuesday.

Leadoff homerun - Johnny Damon. 1-0 Yankees!

Alex Rodriguez smacks a solo HR to make it 2-0 Yankees.

On this HR, A-Rod ties Willie McCovey and Ted Williams.

Nice 1-2-3 inning for IPK.

Looks like Gonzalez can handle 2nd base. Time to deal Betemit. -Jitpal

Ensberg goes deep. -Jitpal

Typical Sonnanstine.

Sonnastine is trash, it's about time we start hitting trash pitchers.

It looks like the Rays found the pitcher who is leaving the rotation once Kazmir comes back.

Hughes, take some notes on pitch efficiency from IPK. He doesn't have half the stuff you have but he is twice as efficient.

cmaff051 wrote:Sonnastine is trash, it's about time we start hitting trash pitchers.

It looks like the Rays found the pitcher who is leaving the rotation once Kazmir comes back.

Could be Hamel too.....Garza may return by the end of the month.

Sonnanstine is a grinder though. He usually has a bad inning, settles down then goes seven innings giving up little or nothing else.

He's a good breaking ball away from being a solid starter.

i guess it was the weather...

craig01 wrote:Sonnanstine is a grinder though.

Not tonight.

Jstarks3 wrote:i guess it was the weather...

+1

It blows my mind how easy they make it look tonight. Until today, they had to grind away at every single at bat and they especially did a horrible job with RISP. Today it's easy as pie. -Jitpal

craig01 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Not tonight.

I don't see much from Sonnanstine, to be honest. There is only so much "grit" you can have. You need stuff. He has nothing. Below average fastball and below average secondary stuff. He does have good control, but that's not good enough.

A-Rod is on fire. Sonnanstine has that effect on slumping players.

so now we score runs tonight...

Damon, you gotta be kidding me..